Toronto audiences were given a night to remember on May 14, as the Queen Elizabeth Theatre played host to a momentous stop on Devin Townsend’s farewell tour—for the foreseeable future, anyway. The evening was a powerful blend of technical brilliance, emotional resonance, and musical catharsis, thanks to an electric opening set from TesseracT and a sprawling, career-spanning performance from Townsend, who is pausing touring indefinitely after this North American run.
Located in Toronto’s lakeshore, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre has a capacity of 2,400 people. Readers of our website might remember the recent Opeth concert at the same venue, which we reviewed here. As I was making my way to the venue, I walked past the BMO Field, where our local soccer team, Toronto FC, was facing Nashville SC. One couldn’t help but think that in a perfect world, that’s where Devin and TesseracT should be playing. But the reality of the music business is such that a 30,000-seat stadium would not work financially for this tour. Oh well…
One chronic problem of the city’s venues, which is worth bringing up, is the delay in getting ticket holders inside. At 7:26 pm, the line was still going around the corner, and people were very slowly entering the theatre. As a result of that, TesseracT came on stage a few minutes after their forecast starting time.
The beginning of the British djent pioneers’ set was an exercise in building tension: pulsating red lights and white strobes came on as the members quietly made their way onto the stage, kicking off with “Natural Disaster”. The critically acclaimed War of Being, from 2023, would be the album best represented through the night. This was followed by “Of Mind – Nocturne“, where the band alternated between 6/8, 5/8, 7/8, whilst delivering a pop gem.
Frontman Daniel Tompkins oozed charisma and delivered vocals that were both visceral and ethereal, while the band’s rhythm section anchored the complex time signatures with precision. It’s worth noticing how the house mix was not too loud, but every instrument could be clearly heard. Overall, the band presented a masterclass in palm-muting and odd time signatures, which were quite well received, particularly on “Legion” and “Juno”. The set closed on a haunting note with the outro from “Concealing Fate, Part 3: The Impossible,” serving less as a climax and more as a segue into what would be an emotionally charged main performance. TesseracT didn’t just warm up the stage — they raised the bar.
Taking the stage with his trademark warmth and eccentricity, Devin Townsend greeted the crowd not as a rock star, but as an old friend, inviting them on one last ride — for now. Backed by a stellar band, Townsend opened with “PowerNerd,” the title track from his latest album, a fitting reminder that his creativity remains as sharp and strange as ever.
From there, the set was a love letter to his expansive career. The furious and anthemic “Kingdom” had the crowd erupting, while Strapping Young Lad tracks like “Love?” and “Aftermath” reminded fans just how ferocious Dev can still be when he wants to be, with a quasi-thrash metal approach at times. On “Aftermath”, even a circle pit was summoned. But it wasn’t all aggression — songs like “Lightworker,” and the soaring “Why?” showcased Townsend’s gift for melody and emotional depth. Similarly, on “Deep Peace”, we held our phones high, in lieu of the cigarette lighters of the heyday of live shows, and were gifted with an inspired guitar solo.
Perhaps the most affecting moment came with “Bastard,” a track that embodied the bittersweet theme of the night: pain, beauty, closure. Between songs, Townsend spoke candidly about his decision to step away from the road. He was funny, philosophical, and, at times, visibly moved. Drummer Darby Todd , bassist James Leach and long standing collaborator Mike Keneally (guitars and keyboards) were a perfect back up band, and had their own moments of greatness and spotlight towards the set.
He acknowledged the exhaustion of nearly 35 years of touring and the personal challenges that brought him to this decision — aging parents, a shifting industry, and the desire to simply breathe again. “This isn’t retirement,” he reminded us. “I’ll be playing live until my final breath. But I need to be there for my life.”
After a heartfelt rendition of “Gratitude” and the anthemic “Truth,” Townsend did mention a “fake ending” to the show and left the stage briefly, only to return for an encore that hit like a freight train. “Deadhead,” long considered one of his most emotionally raw songs, was delivered with searing intensity. It was a masterclass in catharsis — Townsend’s voice cracked and soared, holding nothing back. He closed with the jazz-metal carnival that is “Bad Devil,” reminding everyone that even in farewell, Dev is incapable of leaving things on a low note.
To sum it all up, Devin Townsend’s Toronto show was a celebration, a confession, and a thank-you note. In a music industry often obsessed with the next thing, Townsend’s willingness to pause, reflect, and prioritize his humanity feels almost revolutionary. If this really is the last time we see him on stage for a while, it was the kind of sendoff fans could only hope for: intimate, thunderous, and achingly sincere. For one night in Toronto, we were part of the story he’s been telling for 35 years — and what a story it’s been.
Devin Townsend’s 15-date Farewell Tour will conclude in Los Angeles on May 23rd at The Wiltern.
